---
title: Testing
description: An intro to testing in Astro
i18nReady: true
---
import PackageManagerTabs from '~/components/tabs/PackageManagerTabs.astro'


Testing helps you write and maintain working Astro code. Astro supports many popular tools for unit tests, component tests, and end-to-end tests including Jest, Mocha, Jasmine, [Cypress](https://cypress.io) and [Playwright](https://playwright.dev). You can even install framework-specific testing libraries such as React Testing Library to test your UI framework components.

Testing frameworks allow you to state **assertions** or **expectations** about how your code should behave in specific situations, then compare these to the actual behavior of your current code.

## Vitest

A Vite-native unit test framework with ESM, TypeScript and JSX support powered by esbuild.

Use Astro’s `getViteConfig()` helper in your [`vitest.config.ts` configuration file](https://vitest.dev/config/) to set up Vitest with your Astro project’s settings:

```js
// vitest.config.ts
import { getViteConfig } from 'astro/config';

export default getViteConfig({
  test: {
    // Vitest configuration options
  },
});
```

See the [Astro + Vitest starter template](https://github.com/withastro/astro/tree/latest/examples/with-vitest) on GitHub.

## Cypress

Cypress is a front-end testing tool built for the modern web. Cypress enables you to write end-to-end tests for your Astro site.

### Installation

You can install Cypress using the package manager of your choice.

<PackageManagerTabs>
  <Fragment slot="npm">
  ```shell
  npm install -D cypress
  ```

  This will install Cypress locally as a dev dependency for your project.
  </Fragment>
  <Fragment slot="pnpm">
  ```shell
  pnpm add cypress --save-dev
  ```
  </Fragment>
  <Fragment slot="yarn">
  ```shell
  yarn add cypress --dev
  ```
  </Fragment>
</PackageManagerTabs>

### Configuration

In the root of your project, create a `cypress.config.js` file with the following content:

```js title="cypress.config.js"
import { defineConfig } from 'cypress'

export default defineConfig({
  e2e: {
    supportFile: false
  }
})
```

### Create your first Cypress test

1. Choose a page to test. This example will test the example page `index.astro` below.

    ```html title="src/pages/index.astro"
    ---
    ---
    <html lang="en">
      <head>
        <title>Astro is awesome!</title>
        <meta name="description" content="Pull content from anywhere and serve it fast with Astro's next-gen island architecture." />
      </head>
      <body>
      <h1>Hello world from Astro</h1>
      </body>
    </html>
    ```

2. Create an `index.cy.js` file in the `cypress/e2e` folder. Use the following test in the file to verify that the page title and header are correct.

    ```js title="cypress/e2e/index.cy.js"
    it('titles are correct', () => {
      const page = cy.visit('http://localhost:4321');

      page.get('title').should('have.text', 'Astro is awesome!')
      page.get('h1').should('have.text', 'Hello world from Astro');
    });
    ```

    :::tip[Set a `baseUrl`]
    You can set [`"baseUrl": "http://localhost:4321"`](https://docs.cypress.io/guides/end-to-end-testing/testing-your-app#Step-3-Configure-Cypress) in the `cypress.config.js` configuration file to use `cy.visit("/")` instead of `cy.visit("http://localhost:4321/")` for a more convenient URL.
    :::

### Running your Cypress tests

Cypress can be run from the command line or from the Cypress App. The App provides a visual interface for running and debugging your tests.

First, start the dev server so Cypress can access your live site.

To run our test from the previous example using the command line, execute the following command:

```shell
npx cypress run
```

Alternatively, to run the test using the Cypress App, execute the following command:

```shell
npx cypress open
```

Once the Cypress App is launched, choose **E2E Testing**, then select the browser to be used to run tests.

Once the test run is finished, you should see green check marks in the output confirming that your test passed:

```shell title="Output from npx cypress run"
Running:  index.cy.js                                                                     (1 of 1)


✓ titles are correct (107ms)

1 passing (1s)
```

:::note[Fail the test]
To check that your test really does work, you can change the following line in the `index.astro` file:

 ```astro title="src/pages/index.astro" del={2} ins={3}
  <body>
    <h1>Hello world from Astro</h1>
    <h1>Hello from Astro</h1>
  </body>
```

Then run the test again. You should see a red "x" in the output confirming that your test failed.
:::

### Next steps

More information about Cypress can be found in the links below:

- [Introduction to Cypress](https://docs.cypress.io/guides/basics/introduction-to-cypress)
- [Testing Your App](https://docs.cypress.io/guides/end-to-end-testing/testing-your-app)

## NightwatchJS

Nightwatch.js is a test automation framework with a powerful set of tools to write, run, and debug your tests across the web with built-in support for all major browsers and their mobile equivalents, as well as native mobile applications.

### Installation

You can install NightwatchJS within your Astro project using the package manager of your choice. Follow the CLI steps to choose JavaScript/TypeScript, name your test folder, and select whether or not to include component testing and testing on mobile browsers.

<PackageManagerTabs>
  <Fragment slot="npm">
  ```shell
  npm init nightwatch@latest
  ```
  </Fragment>
  <Fragment slot="pnpm">
  ```shell
  pnpm dlx create-nightwatch
  ```
  </Fragment>
  <Fragment slot="yarn">
  ```shell
  yarn create nightwatch
  ```
  </Fragment>
</PackageManagerTabs>

### Create your first Nightwatch test

1. Choose a page to test. This example will test the example page `index.astro` below.

    ```html title="src/pages/index.astro"
    ---
    ---
    <html lang="en">
      <head>
        <title>Astro is awesome!</title>
        <meta name="description" content="Pull content from anywhere and serve it fast with Astro's next-gen island architecture." />
      </head>
      <body></body>
    </html>
    ```

2. Create a new folder `src/test/` and add the following test file:

		```js title="src/test/index.js"
		describe('Astro testing with Nightwatch', function () {
		    before(browser => browser.navigateTo('http://localhost:4321/'));
		
		    it("check that the title is correct", function (browser) {
		        browser.assert.titleEquals('Astro is awesome!')
		    });
		
		    after(browser => browser.end());
		});
		```

    :::tip[Set a `baseUrl`]
    You can set [`"baseURL": "http://localhost:4321"`](https://nightwatchjs.org/guide/reference/settings.html#setting-the-baseurl-property) in the `nightwatch.conf.js` configuration file to use `browser.navigateTo("/")` instead of `browser.navigateTo("http://localhost:4321/")` for a more convenient URL.
    :::

### Running your NightwatchJS tests

You can run a single test or several tests at once, testing one or multiple browsers. By default, your test results will be shown in the terminal. Optionally, you can open the HTML Test Reporter to show a full report and filter test results.

You can run the tests with the [NightwatchJS VSCode Extension](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=browserstackcom.nightwatch) or using the CLI steps below:

1. To run all tests, enter the following command in the terminal. Optionally, include the file name to run just the single test:

    ```sh
    npx nightwatch test/index.js
    ```

2. To see the full HTML Test Report, open it using the following command:

    ```sh
    npx nightwatch test/index.ts --open
    ```

3. To run the tests against a specific browser use the `--environment` or `-e` CLI argument. If you don't have the relevant browser installed, Nightwatch will attempt to set it up for you using [Selenium Manager](https://www.selenium.dev/blog/2022/introducing-selenium-manager/)

    ```sh
    npx nightwatch test/index.ts -e firefox
    ```

:::tip
Run your tests against your production code to more closely resemble your live, deployed site.
:::

More information about NightwatchJS can be found in the links below:

  - [Intro to Nightwatch](https://nightwatchjs.org/guide/overview/what-is-nightwatch.html)
  - [Testing with Nightwatch](https://nightwatchjs.org/guide/writing-tests/introduction.html)

## Playwright

Playwright is an end-to-end testing framework for modern web apps. Use the Playwright API in JavaScript or TypeScript to test your Astro code on all modern rendering engines including Chromium, WebKit, and Firefox.

### Installation

You can get started and run your tests using the [VS Code Extension](https://playwright.dev/docs/getting-started-vscode).

Alternatively, you can install Playwright within your Astro project using the package manager of your choice. Follow the CLI steps to choose JavaScript/TypeScript, name your test folder, and add an optional GitHub Actions workflow.

<PackageManagerTabs>
  <Fragment slot="npm">
  ```shell
  npm init playwright@latest
  ```
  </Fragment>
  <Fragment slot="pnpm">
  ```shell
  pnpm dlx create-playwright
  ```
  </Fragment>
  <Fragment slot="yarn">
  ```shell
  yarn create playwright
  ```
  </Fragment>
</PackageManagerTabs>

### Create your first Playwright test

1. Choose a page to test. This example will test the example page `index.astro` below.

    ```html title="src/pages/index.astro"
    ---
    ---
    <html lang="en">
      <head>
        <title>Astro is awesome!</title>
        <meta name="description" content="Pull content from anywhere and serve it fast with Astro's next-gen island architecture." />
      </head>
      <body></body>
    </html>
    ```

1. Create a new folder and add the following test file in `src/test`. Copy and paste the following test into the file to verify that the page meta information is correct. Update the value of the page `<title>` to match the page you are testing.

    ```jsx title="src/test/index.spec.ts" "Astro is awesome!"
    import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';

    test('meta is correct', async ({ page }) => {
      await page.goto("http://localhost:4321/");

      await expect(page).toHaveTitle('Astro is awesome!');
    });
    ```

    :::tip[Set a `baseUrl`]
    You can set [`"baseURL": "http://localhost:4321"`](https://playwright.dev/docs/api/class-testoptions#test-options-base-url) in the `playwright.config.ts` configuration file to use `page.goto("/")` instead of `page.goto("http://localhost:4321/")` for a more convenient URL.
    :::

### Running your Playwright tests

You can run a single test or several tests at once, testing one or multiple browsers. By default, your test results will be shown in the terminal. Optionally, you can open the HTML Test Reporter to show a full report and filter test results.

1. To run our test from the previous example using the command line, use the `test` command. Optionally, include the file name to run just the single test:

    ```sh
    npx playwright test index.spec.ts
    ```

1. To see the full HTML Test Report, open it using the following command:

    ```sh
    npx playwright show-report
    ```

:::tip
Run your tests against your production code to more closely resemble your live, deployed site.
:::

#### Advanced: Launching a development web server during the tests

You can also have Playwright start your server when you run your testing script by using the [`webServer`](https://playwright.dev/docs/test-advanced#launching-a-development-web-server-during-the-tests) option in the Playwright configuration file.

Here is an example of the configuration and commands required when using npm:

1. Add a test script to your `package.json` file in the project root, such as `"test:e2e": "playwright test"`.
1. In `playwright.config.ts`, add the `webServer` object and update the command value to `npm run preview`.

    ```js title="playwright.config.ts" ins={4-9} "npm run preview"
    import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
    
    export default defineConfig({
      webServer: {
        command: 'npm run preview',
        url: 'http://localhost:4321/',
        timeout: 120 * 1000,
        reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
      },
      use: {
        baseURL: 'http://localhost:4321/',
      },
    });
    ```

1. Run `npm run build`, then run `npm run test:e2e` to run the Playwright tests.

More information about Playwright can be found in the links below:

- [Getting started with Playwright](https://playwright.dev/docs/intro)
- [Use a development server](https://playwright.dev/docs/test-webserver#configuring-a-web-server)
